Vegetable Salad

Wash all vegetables thoroughly under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner for the leafy greens.

Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool before peeling and slicing into quarters.

Chop the cabbage into thin shreds, slice the carrots into thin rounds or julienne strips, and cut the celery into diagonal slices. Dice the big onion finely.

Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds, halve the Italian plum tomatoes and regular tomatoes, and break the broccoli into small bite-sized florets.

Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking and preserve their bright green color. Drain well.

Rinse the bean sprouts and drain thoroughly, removing any discolored or wilted sprouts.

Combine all prepared vegetables and bean sprouts in a large salad bowl, tossing gently to mix evenly. Arrange the sliced hard-boiled eggs and tomatoes on top.

Drizzle your preferred dressing over the salad just before serving and toss lightly to coat. Serve immediately chilled or at room temperature.